Computer Science
Scientific paper
Jul 2004
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2004hst..prop10163m&link_type=abstract
HST Proposal ID #10163
Computer Science
Hst Proposal Id #10163 Hot Stars
Scientific paper
NGC 3603 is the most massive, visible giant HII region in our Galaxy and virtually a clone of R136, the famous supercluster in the core of the 30 Dor region in the LMC. NGC 3603 harbors three young, extremely luminous, hot stars which mimic the spectral appearance of WN6ha stars. As tailored atmosphere analysis reveals, these stars are unevolved, very massive stars on the main sequence. In fact, these stars have the potential of being the most massive main sequence stars known in our Galaxy. One of these WN6ha stars is a double-eclipsing binary with a 3.7724d period. We propose here to use HST/STIS to carry out, for the first time, repeated, high-quality spectroscopy of this binary in order to derive Keplerian orbits for both components and thus directly measure their masses. Additional photometry will considerably refine the solution for the inclination angle. Whether or not the mass of the WN6ha {and possibly also its companion} star significantly exceeds 60 M_sol, the current directly-observed, upper limit of main sequence stars, will allow us to put models for massive stars to the test. As a by-product of our observations, we will also monitor the two remaining WN6ha stars in NGC 3603. At least one of them shows strong indications for binarity.
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